Sunday Tourists
St Pius X Parish in Honolulu, HI.
Why do you go to church on vacation?
Have you ever been asked this question?
Truthfully, vacation church can be challenging, especially when traveling with kids.
You need to find a church, pick a time, and get directions. Then there is the politics of getting the family up and out the door.
Do you have the same struggle? I would love to say that we cheerfully left hotel rooms, perfectly pressed and groomed, arriving early for reflection and prayers before Mass.
The reality was all of us digging through suitcases for the nice clothes, pasting down bed-hair, searching for the directions to the local church, and after taking two wrong turns, showing up late with the toddler asking, “Where are the pancakes?”
What helped us get to Mass?
Sometimes it was a jolt of caffeine and a lot of grit, but knowing the obligation and expectations helped in moments of weakness.
As a family, we left the parking lots of these churches chatting about the experience, the homily, and the people, and appreciating the time we had to be with and thank God.
There are also side perks to going to church on vacation, and here are a few we’ve experienced…
Mass is celebrated worldwide. Attending a new location reminds us that we are a part of a bigger family.
Some Masses have an added cultural flavor. Servers wear grass skirts in Hawaii over the traditional alb. Churches in the mountains often have a cabin feel. Mass can be celebrated in different languages, and hymns are sung using native instruments. The prayers are the same, but the experience is always different from what we are used to at home.
You can learn about each church's history, art, and architecture. From the Mission San Juan de Capistrano in California to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, you can often take a free tour or visit a mini-museum on site before or after Mass.
Sometimes, we end up in a small neighborhood church. They may invite us to their parish picnic or to have donuts after Mass.
Being a visitor is a chance to receive hospitality from others.
We started a family tradition of purchasing a crucifix from the churches we attended on trips. This supports the local parish; the kids liked picking which cross to buy for our home. Our grandson seems to like this tradition too!
Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe, Florida.
The First Commandment is: I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have other gods before me.
Jesus also gives us The Greatest Commandment: You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
In pondering this, we can visit God anywhere, and if we love him, we should run to him, and all other factors of a vacation are secondary. He is the reason I breathe, I have a family, blessings, and the ability to travel to see his beautiful world in the first place.
It has taken me many years to overcome my “running out of the hotel door to check the box” attitude. Thank God for your patience with me.
What are your experiences of going to church on vacation?
How do you battle the temptation to skip church services on a trip?